Hard water-tolerant dye solutions

Abstract

Improved concentrated dye solutions comprising anionic monosulfonated anthraquinone dye, the cations including alkanolammonium cations, in a mixed solvent of water and an inert organic cosolvent, the improvement comprising the addition thereto of about 0.03 to 0.20 part by weight, per part of dye of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, or N-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid, said dye solution containing no more than about 0.2 percent, based on total solution weight, of cations other than alkanolammonium cations.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. In a dye solution comprising about 10% to 20% by weight of anionic monosulfonated anthraquinone dye, the cations including alkanolammonium cations, the dye being dissolved in a mixed solvent of water and an inert organic cosolvent, the improvement comprising the addition thereto of about 0.03 to 0.20 part by weight, per part of dye, of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, or N-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid, said dye solution containing no more than about 0.2 percent, based on total weight of the dye solution, of cations other than alkanolammonium cations, the anthraquinone dye being selected from at least one member of the group ##STR5## 
     
     
       2. A dye solution according to claim 1 wherein the dye is ##STR6## 
     
     
       3. A dye solution according to claim 1 wherein the dye is ##STR7## 
     
     
       4. A dye solution according to claim 1 containing additionally about 0.10 to 0.30 part by weight, per part of dye, of an amine compound selected from at least one member of the group aniline, p-aminobenzoic acid, oxydianiline, anthranilic acid, p-phenylenediamine, and p-aminoacetanilide. 
     
     
       5. A dye solution according to claim 4 wherein the dye is selected from at least one member of the group ##STR8## ##STR9## 
     
     
       6. A dye solution according to claim 5 wherein the dye is ##STR10## 
     
     
       7. A dye solution according to claim 5 wherein the dye is ##STR11##